Glossary: Ordering
Request for quote (RFQ)
A request for quote (RFQ) is a buyer's request for a price on a list of products or quantities. The seller reviews it and replies with a quote, often with custom pricing, shipping or terms.
In detail
An RFQ suits orders where a fixed list price does not fit: large quantities, custom or made-to-order items, prices that move with materials or freight, or accounts that negotiate. The buyer says what they want and how many, and the seller answers with a number instead of the buyer reading one off a page.
A typical flow has five steps. The buyer builds a list of products with quantities and adds notes such as a delivery date or a PO number. The seller reviews it and sets prices, shipping and an expiry date. The seller sends the quote. The buyer accepts or declines. If they accept, the quote becomes an order or an invoice.
An RFQ is not the same as a request for proposal (RFP). An RFQ asks for a price on defined items, and an RFP asks suppliers to propose a solution. The word quote is the seller's reply to an RFQ. Sellers often pair RFQ with hiding prices, so that visitors without an approved account see a Request a quote button instead of a price.
A good quote states the unit price, quantity, shipping, taxes where they apply, payment terms and how long the price is valid. Short expiry dates protect you from price changes. Reply quickly, because a buyer who sends the same RFQ to several suppliers often picks the first complete answer.
Example
A contractor asks for a price on 400 tiles and 20 trims. The list price is $6.20 a tile, and the seller replies with a quote of $5.60 a tile ($2,240), $14 a trim ($280) and $190 shipping, $2,710 in total, valid for 14 days.
On Shopify
Shopify's B2B Help Center describes B2B draft orders where a merchant can set a custom price for negotiated pricing and send a payment invoice. The page does not describe a buyer-facing request for quote feature, and the terms quote and RFQ do not appear there.
Source: Shopify Help Center: Creating B2B orders using draft orders (read October 4, 2026).
In BSS B2B apps
BSS B2B Quote adds request for quote. Customers, including guests, send a quote request, and you edit prices, shipping and the expiry date and send a proposal. When a logged-in customer approves the proposal from the email, the app creates a Shopify draft order and sends the invoice. See the BSS B2B Quote page for plans.
Setup docs
Related use cases
Learn more
Read the Quick order and RFQ hub for guides, use cases and setup docs, or the complete Shopify B2B guide.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an RFQ and an RFP?
An RFQ asks for a price on defined items and quantities. An RFP asks suppliers to propose how they would solve a problem, with the price as one part of the answer.
Does Shopify have a request for quote feature?
Shopify's B2B Help Center describes draft orders with custom prices, but not a buyer-facing request for quote feature (draft orders page, read 2026-10-04). Sellers add RFQ with an app.
What should a quote include?
Unit prices, quantities, shipping, taxes where they apply, payment terms and an expiry date. Add a PO number if the buyer supplied one so the order matches their records.